From the Journals: DAY 12, March 7

Coach Cable Gap Shelter - Fontana Dam Shelter: 6.6 mi

Professor swears that thieving mice carried off his Platypus (water bag)...

"It's Joe Sullivan"

Winter Wonderland

ATL Dave

Professor

Ice crystals growing off a branch...We woke up and hiked through a winter wonderland this morning. It was a short easy day to Fontana where we met Manager Mike for resupply. When we walked up he was already hanging out with Treebeard, Stormsong, and their friend Moonpie who had brought trail magic in the form of a huge spread of food out the back of her minivan. It didn't take long for them to convince Coach and I to take a "Nero" day and indulge in Moonpie's Trail Magic chili and beer.

A BIG thank you to Manager Mike for this resupply...

People on the Trail

Kentucky GreyBeard- Ridge Runner, believe it or not he is actually from Louisville! But, when he isn't enjoying retired life in the Bluegrass State, he's running the ridges of the Southern Appalachians saving Spring Breakers and scaring bears. I kid you not, one of his duties as "Ridge Runner" is to..."give problem bears a bad experience with humans..."

TreeBeard: "It's me, Joe, Joe Sullivan!" he proclaimed. I learned TreeBeard's real world name. It's on the few real names I've heard while out on the trail. I almost felt embarrased, like I saw something I wasn't supposed to see. A reminder of lives beyond the Trail...

Photos Courtesy of Manager Mike: Fontana Dam

Arriving at Fontana

Arriving at Fontana

Trail Magic

After a shower

Hiker Dave, Coach, Professor, Stormsong, Treebeard, Moonpie

Professor's Blisters on Left Foot

Coach and Professor laundering

Next Destination- The Great Smoky Mountains and snow!

From the Journals: DAY 11

Coach
Sassafras Gap Shelter - Cable Gap Shelter: 16.7 mi

7:40am start. Experienced yet another type of weather today. It is amazing to see it change so quickly and run the gambit at the same time. Took it easy on the pace. The Professor is starting to get annoyed about his prep time on his feet. It is taking a long time, but there really isn't an alternative. Got in bed by 6:30pm. Arrived at shelter and ate and quickly got into bed. Temp. dropped quickly.

Professor
Rain and fog Cable Gap w/ ATL Dave. COLD 22 degrees. There is a mouse in this shelter...

From the Journals: DAY 10

Coach
Cold Spring Shelter - Sassafras Gap Shelter: 18.4 mi

Cold Spring Shelter was very creepy. Started 8:15am in light rain. Made good time to the NOC (Nantahala Outdoor Center) where we ate lunch. Very strange vibe from people at NOC. Pushed to Sassafras Gap, where we ran back into Treebeard and Stormsong, who apparently stayed in the next room at Ron Haven's Budget Inn. Bad storm at night.

Professor
Just when you think you can't get any wetter...my calf really bothered me today. I had to wrap it with an ace bandage. 18.6 miles, in the rain, went through Nantahala Outdoor Center; took midday break, much needed for calf and feet. Hiked til right as it was getting dark. Staying @ Sassafras Gap Shelter. Everything has gotten wet to varying degrees:

Backpack = soaked (we sent home pack covers)
Clothes = Hiking Set is wet and cold (we sleep with them to keep them from freezing, and our body heat dries them a little), and Sleeping Set is damp because we sleep with our hiking set.
Sleeping Bag = damp from sleeping in clouds.
Boots = wet, if we hike for a bit on dryish ground we can "hike them dry"

Caught up to Treebeard and Stormsong, met ATL Dave for the first time.

From the Journals: DAY 9

Coach
Winding Stair Gap - Cold Spring Shelter: 16mi

Excellent breakfast at Lois's Diner (pancakes, eggs, gravy + biscuit, hashbrowns)
Hit the trail at 9:40am in rainy and foggy conditions, which continued all day. Stopped for the day a while before 5:00pm. We made excellent time, but don't really remember most of it. Another 18.4mi push tomorrow.

Professor
Today was hard. But it was a kind of difficult I had not yet experienced..with the exception of straining a muscle in my calf, and all of the normal aches and pains. We hiked faster and stronger of any hike yet if you go by the clock. But it didn't feel that way. It felt hard. Today turned into a mental battle of coming to terms, realizations and questioning the hike. Today was the first time my homesickness was in my forethoughts.

We hiked in a cloud, physically and mentally. We walked through fog and sometimes rain, drippy wet air that you can see floating around you. It was a lost day; happening fast and leaving you wondering. Cold Spring Shelter is living up to its name. Drip. The gurgling of the spring out of Earth's opening. Drip...wind...gurgle...drip...wind in the trees...night falls fast here.

From the Journals: DAY 8, Mar. 3

Coach
Franklin, N.C.: 0 mi.

Massive amounts of eating. K-Mart + Panty hose.
Outfitter (delirious)

Professor
Zero Day in Franklin, N.C.
At Ms. Lois's Restaurant we ate:
1. Sampler Platter (2 eggs, 2 pieces of bacon and one piece of sausage with an order of hash browns and one biscuit with gravy over it) x2
2. Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes, Regular (3)
3. Double Cheeseburger (1/2lb of ground chuck)
4. Mushroom and Swiss Burger (1/2lb of ground chuck)
5. Side orders of: Onion Rings, Mac n' Cheese x2, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Sweet Potato Casserole
6. Piece of Chocolate Pie x2

I learned that if I overeat, even while hiking the AT, it still makes you feel bad...I tried to keep up with Coach, but it is literally impossible! I know now not to try that again...

Ron Haven took us on an afternoon tour of his kingdom of Franklin...as six thru-hikers piled into his small tour bus, there was a homemade video explaining what one can do in Franklin, "..this is the Walmart, here is Ms. Lois's Restaurant, here is the Outfitters..." as it looped in the background. Ron spoke louder than the video and told us stories of his childhood in the tomato patch, and absently complained here and there, and justified certain local political issues he was passionate about. The older couple (this is their second thru-hike attempt b/c the man got lime disease in VA last time so they had to pull off the trail; they are German professors), the loner, Coach and I all listened to Ron quietly and respectfully as he talked and drove us to various resupply locals in Franklin.

"I'm just an ole' hiker" said Ron in his thick NC accent, "and I understand what y'all are tryin' to do." He looked me in the eye through the tour bus rearview mirror. I could tell he knew more about my journey that I did, and all of a sudden, the trail ahead felt long.

The next morning he dropped Coach and I and several other Northbound thru-hikers off @ the trail head, where we left Ron's Kingdom behind.

People on the Trail
U-Haul: A Northbounder who got his name from the amount of stuff he carries - several tents, several cooking situations, his pack must have been 70+ pounds! I learned later from other thru-hikers that he had no rain gear...

From the Professor's Camera

Sunset Series:

Professor in his camp shoes

Coach enjoying "Peanut Butter Heaven"

From the Journals: DAY 7

Coach
Carter Gap Shelter - Winding Stair Shelter (Franklin, NC): 15.7 mi

Late start 8:30am due to previous couple of days. We had a hot breakfast and took a slower pace to the Zero Day in Franklin, NC. When we arrived in town we were delirious from lack of food and fatigue. Don't know how the KMART run actually happened. We looked like cripples walking around. Much needed rest is in order. For dinner, we hd 50 wings and a sampler platter from a sports bar called Mulligan's. Ron Haven is awesome.

Zero Day Report:
Mileage Covered- 107.5 mi
Days- 6.5
Pace- 16.1 mi/day
Thru-hikers Passed- 14
Thru-hikers Passing- 0

Other Comments:
-20 mile day
-Legs strong enough, feet holding us back
-Learned the importance of foot care

Professor

Coldest morning yet @ Carter Gap. First time I broke all the gear out, first time it got cold enough.
15.5 miles today to Winding Stair Gap where we are being picked up by Ron Haven (ex-thru-hiker) to stay at Haven's Budget Inn.

I really hurt in the feet after today, part psychological, part physical. Zero Day is going to be much needed!!! Coach and I killed 50 Hot wings, an appetizer sampler and a pitcher of beer... perfect sleep aid. I can feel each individual spring in my mattress and somehow it feels comfortable..

Coach and I have decided to wear women's pantyhose. We learned from a thru-hiker that they are the perfect liner sock- lightweight, cheap, dry and wick very fast. They cut down on friction thus cutting down on blisters. At this point, I am willing to try anything to cut blisters out of my daily equation of different pains, even if it means women's pantyhose... sorry everybody.